Was Gary Lineker right to CRITICISE England? Is It TOUGH to go From Player to Pundit?🤷| B&K

[@PaulRoneClarke]

I don't agree with Lineker often. But he is right here. This is one of the 2 biggest adverts for the game in Europe. And it's not going to convert anyone to football who isn't already a fan, and might drive a few away. The only reason to keep watching is to see your team win. It isn't to watch good exciting football. Because the last 2 games, in fact most of the last 18 months, the games England have played have been so dull. There are some fans who watch for "our team at all costs" partisan. But many more watch to be entertained. You get new fans by being entertaining. You keep existing fans watching by being entertaining. This tournament has been as dull as ditchwater. At my local club last night, 15 minutes into the second half the chatter started, people going outside for a smoke. going to the bar. I reckon 40% of the people who started watching the game had given up long before the final whistle.

[@PazLeBon]

winning certainly s not the ony reason to watch at all, playing good football and entertaing the crowd is priority number one. that good football will win matches but likely not actually win anything as only about 4 clubs do that. actually youre contradicting youself

[@PaulRoneClarke]

@@PazLeBon Not really. I’m saying the only reason to keep watching is if your only interest is to see England win. No one who wants to be entertained is watching. And that’s a mistake. I’m not that excited for tomorrow. I should be. But I’m not. My wife etc, some casual football fans, have given up,with the tournament after watching two games that were as dull as watching paint dry. Hardcore “my team winning is all that matters” type fans will probably watch no matter how dull a game is. But they won’t attract new fans that way, and might lose a lot of existing fans.

[@yasirumer2893]

Very underrated channel its far better than cricbuzz and espncricindo sorry info

[@mk_annan22]

Good insight in many aspects.

[@rotinhell18]

Cricinfo is an indian website which was bought over by Espn. What do you expect? All their staff are mostly indian

[@rramach9091]

Please don’t get me started on ESPNcricinfo and cricbuzz. Their“analysis” feels like paid advertisements for the Indian cricket team.

[@nigeljames5622]

I think it is laughable that Lineker is being called out on this, what is he supposed to do, say England were amazing when they were absolutely dreadful? We live in a society now where everyone needs to be pampered and told they are great even when they are far from it. Noone can handle criticism anymore because people are scared to say it to them, you see this in schools all the time, students being told it is ok to not be top of the class, its fine to be mediocre. All this leads to is a mentality that its ok not to strive or work hard to achieve things, that things should just be gifted to you for doing nothing. Pundits are allowed to say when someone is bad or a team is bad, suck it up England and prove everyone wrong

[@samsowden]

he's supposed to say "they're trying reeeeealllllyyy haaarrrrddddd"

[@PazLeBon]

he genuinelly could have fairly been far stronger in his criticism, kane hardly broke a sweat

[@PazLeBon]

@@samsowden lol only it didnt look like even that, bellingham didnt play but was in the starting 11

[@snsaha2012]

I have watched his podcast regularly. They've been really supportive of Southgate and co from the beginning,don't know what they see in him,but they do.They were mildly critical at best,what else do you expect,a 21 gun salute for a draw against Denmark?They were stating facts.The fact that the players were so sensitive to hit back shows their weak and spineless mentality, especially after the whole PR stunt and then drawing against Slovenia.They could have redeemed themselves with some semblance of a performance,but what else do you expect from a manager who is no better than a garbage van driver 😂😂.

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

This happened with Ben Earl, England 🏉 No.8. I think it was the Ireland win at Twickenham. England had been ordinary until then. It was very difficult to grasp what their plans were. Love Ben Earl. But he was out of order at the end of the 🇮🇪 game saying ‘We wanted to shut the haters up’ or something like that. For the fans until that game England were dreadful to watch.

[@snsaha2012]

​@@RalphBrooker-gn9ivHis favourite CB is missing as well,the guy,and I will never ever forget this,cupped his ears after scoring a goal against San Marino-a team of plumbers and electricians.His choice of favourites reflects his weak, cowardly mentality.

[@PazLeBon]

@@snsaha2012 those favs would have offered more passion

[@SJ-dm3eb]

Oh I miss bob Willis I loved his analysis

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

Boycott the summariser far from even-handed, unbiased. He’s embarrassingly one-sided. I’m an England fan.

[@francescoxiv762]

Boycott was the worst and most ungracious commentator. I was so glad when he retired.

[@robs6952]

I think generally the England cricketers (especially as specific individuals) get far more flak from former players/pundits than the football team (even back when they went out really early) - if the football team can react on the field like YJB does (or Broady for that matter)…

[@PazLeBon]

yeah but we do see 38 weeks+ of the england footballers, week in week out

[@martinradcliffe4798]

Players seem to think that because they put in a couple of good performances three years ago or whatever that they should be immune from criticism for the rest of their careers

[@stylishsannigrahi]

that is proper insightfful and honest, yet smart analysis

[@luqmanajaz4710]

Email was from South Africa cricket board 👍

[@bafoke]

How'd you know

[@austinpowers9340]

He was 100% correct to criticise. Then 100% wrong to do a complete 180 and trying to pick positives out of yesterdays performance.

[@neilshayler3119]

If Lineker came out and said look they done well played ok could be better but performances are ok then he'd of got slated for saying are you watching the same as us fans Only the England camp and Southgate think they've played world beating football. its been shite to watch if you can't stand the heat Southgate Kane etc get out the kitchen

[@rramach9091]

As an Indian, I listen to a LOT of Pakistani channels on KZbin especially when Pak lose while praising Indian cricket to the extreme. I used to wonder about this sudden love for Indian cricket but soon realized that those channels were pandering to the Indian audience who form the bulk of their viewership. I just wish commentators stop tailoring their comments to cater to a specific audience. I think fans can see through the dishonesty and will stop following those channels eventually. For me, a critical view is more satisfying than the sugary sweetness that you see in a lot of cricket channels pandering to the Indian audience .

[@11hitmanDagenius]

The Indian cricket channels also pander to the Indian audience and are as bad if not worse in that regard. They constantly praise the Indian players and barely mention or completely ignore if there are issues with performance. Same with the lacklustre championship record of Indian national team for a decade now, and their lacklustre team selection policies sticking to the same kind of all format players for example. Forget about criticism, there's not even a conversation about it.

[@11hitmanDagenius]

In comparison, other cricket channels like in Australia call a spade a spade

[@rramach9091]

@@11hitmanDagenius couldn’t agree more with your comments. The Indian cricket ecosystem is like a giant pyramid scheme. Everybody makes money by milking the cow. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can fail forever but they are untouchable because they are “class” players.

[@SunilSingh-eo4bl]

Linekar is of Some renowned has 10 goals in world cups. 😂😂😂

[@rajsub3884]

Indian cricketer or people who often criticise Englishman or Aussie criticise them should follow football they are way way harsh top negative on English football .they don't have breathing space football is very competitive sport after having to club then turn for national level in international level is not easy yes England been scratchy not upto mark .these expert's just can talk should draw boundary Don't talk anything not to forget former English players haven't don't great either

[@imonghosh912]

English Football : A bunch of perennial under achievers of the past criticising the perennial underachievers of the present ! 😂😂😂

[@PazLeBon]

so they know exactly what it takes

[@PazLeBon]

spoiled players

[@MrDavidht]

Sports commentators should stick to their sports.

[@jkmcgregor7797]

Cant take criticism LMAO pathetic

[@jogreeen]

neither can the journo's and ex-players when athletes hit back with a response. They cant take criticism LMAO pathetic

[@jkmcgregor7797]

@@jogreeen i totally agree .

[@3_smh_3]

@@jogreeen what criticism. what players usually do is not criticism rather ad hominem.

[@harinagarajan2296]

The english worrying about other people's feelings. Ha ha ha.

[@11hitmanDagenius]

Let me guess are you Indian? Irony is your speciality, mate

[@darreng4248]

Lineker is wrong about most things

[@georgemckenna7570]

Doubt it

[@francescoxiv762]

​@@georgemckenna7570 He's in business with a war criminal

[@galey86]

The Rest is Football is one of the most listened to podcasts in the UK and he is by far the best thing about it

[@ivankowalski5009]

He is but he's right about this

[@PazLeBon]

hardly

[@spannaoftruth1455]

Gary who?

[@PazLeBon]

youd be blind deaf and dumb to not know id say

[@jeevankikahaniya6339]

Jarrod always crosses the line.

[@samgh-nw1sh]

...what?

[@jeevankikahaniya6339]

@@samgh-nw1sh offending cricketer

[@sextonblake4258]

GL needs to wind it in. Southgate's job is to QUALIFY. He is not in the entertainment business. He should get the team to qualify without expending any energy that does not need to be expended. The team needs to conserve strength, energy and tactics.

[@PazLeBon]

kmao did southgate pay you 3 pounds to say that? eww your mose is brown